Boho Clothing for Mature Women

Ideas for the Boho Look for a Senior

Best clothing choices for a bohemian look are those made from natural fibers or drapey textiles. Earth tones are the preferred color palette as are garments made of paisley, tie-dyed or floral fabrics.

Tops and Blouses

Peasant-style tops are good building blocks for this look. Mature women may want to avoid the off-the-shoulder look, though, in favor of one with more coverage. Linen and cotton blouses are good options as they are soft and comfortable, and details like embroidery or ruffles draw the eye toward the neckline or the sleeves. This is a great way to set off whatever you consider to be your best feature. Tunic tops are also a great way to interpret this style, since they can be worn long or short, depending on your preference. Here are some good examples:

• LY Womens Loose Casual Batwing Sleeve Shirt: This vividly colored slipover tunic is the perfect layering piece for a bohemian look. It’s made from featherweight chiffon, and its unstructured silhouette makes it flattering for most body types. Wear it over a top or maxi dress or pair it with a peasant skirt and cami. It retails around $15. Amazon reviewers were mostly positive about the loose, flowing fit that works perfectly for shapelier women, but had reservations about the neckline.
• Style & Co Cotton Eyelet Peasant Top: This print, 3/4-sleeve top with a V-neck and tassel ties make this peasant blouse a smart choice for topping all your skirts and slacks. It’s available in sizes XS to XXL and retails around $54.

Bottoms

Maxi skirts and peasant skirts are popular items for creating a bohemian look, but don’t back yourself into a fashion corner. There are lots of pant choices to give you the look you want and make a nice change from wearing skirts all the time like palazzo pants or harem pants. Look for long, flared skirts in bright colors or flowered prints for boho outfits. Crinkly fabrics and border prints are also common and should include detailing features like lace, ruffles and ethnic or animal prints. Choose pants with floral or tribal inspired prints or brightly colored tie-dyed and paisley patterns. Here’s some ideas to get you started:

• Free to Live Women’s Wide Leg Boho Palazza Gaucho Pants: Whether you are lounging around the house or going about your active lifestyle, you’ll love the freedom of motion offered by these super-soft palazzo pants from Free to Live. They come in 13 fashion colors and feature a high waist with a trendy fold-over waistband. They are made of mostly rayon, which has excellent moisture-wicking properties, and just a touch of spandex to give them the stretch you need for comfort. Priced at under $20, they ship for free if your order totals $35 or more. Amazon reviewers raved about the softness of the fabric and the comfortable fit but noted the fabric is extremely thin and sheer.
• Pieces Maxi Skirt in Ditsy Floral: Just add an embroidered peasant top or a tank to this attractive black and white floral maxi skirt from ASOS for day-long comfort and style no matter what you do or where you go. It features an allover floral print and a stretch waistband and retails for about $51. It’s available in sizes S to XL.

Dresses

There’s more to boho-themed dresses than just maxi dresses, but the maxi dress is a signature element of the style. Other features that define bohemian-inspired clothing are empire waists, laced or shirred bodices and sleeves, and ruffled or uneven hemlines. Add some romantic touches of frilly laces or intricate embroidery and beading, and you’ve got the look down pat. Try styles like these:

• Sakkas Starlight Caftan Tank Dress: This sleeveless easy-fitting caftan is perfect for strolling the boardwalk, window-shopping, or doing double duty as a swimwear cover-up. It’s available in several color combo prints and retails for around $25. It comes in one size but the majority of customers who purchased it felt it fit as they expected.
• Suite 7 Tile Print Petite Pleat Maxi Dress: Step out in style in this head-turning maxi dress from Suite 7. The richly colored, intricate pattern gives it an ultra-ethnic look. It’s made of easy wear, easy care polyester and comes in sizes 4P to 12P. At about $90, it’s a must-have purchase for the mature woman who wants to look fashion forward in her bohemian wardrobe.

Footwear

To achieve an authentic look, opt for neutral colors like black, taupe or bone. Birkenstock sandals, for example, are comfortable and can be worn with skirts or pants. Other good choices are flat sandals made from leather or other natural materials, wedge sandals, or gladiator sandals. If you don’t feel comfortable walking in a high wedge sandal, opt for a lower heel. For the cooler months, consider leather or suede boots. Attractive bohemian details to look for include fringes, laces, seed beading, and embroidery. These sandals would make good additions to your wardrobe:

• SoftWalk Torino: Add some bohemian pizzazz to your footwear wardrobe with this stylish pair of gladiator sandals from ShoeBuy. Their low profile is the perfect foil for all your maxi-dresses and skirts but they look just as chic with pants. They feature a one-inch heel, polyurethane outsole, a buttery soft tumbled leather upper, and come in six colors. Priced at under $100, they ship for free and come in sizes 8 to 11 (medium width).
• White Mountain Gabbie Wedge Sandal: Wedge sandals are a step-up from casual but are still qualify as bohemian-inspired footwear so you can wear this style with almost any outfit. The heel is just high enough – 3 inches- and the soft upper fabric will keep your feet comfortable in any situation. They feature a slip-on fit, four basic colors, and retail for under $70. Choose from sizes 5 to 11. Customers who purchased these spoke positively about the true to size fit, comfort and softness of these sandals.

Accessories

Accessories are a great way to have fun with your boho fashion. For instance, buy a wide leather belt or coin-embellished belt and wear it slung low over your hips. Add a hobo bag, which is shaped like a crescent and has a shoulder strap, or go for a denim bag to complete your look. Colorful purses epitomize bohemian style, but you can also opt for a neutral tone if your outfit is colorful. Knitted scarves and hats are ideal for finishing off the look. Other good choices are long cardigan sweaters or vests trimmed with fur or fringes.

Tips for Creating Your Boho Style

Since the bohemian fashion look is an ‘anything goes’ fashion style, it’s tempting to overdo it by piling on too many layers or accessories so keep checking the overall effect in a full-length mirror. The look you want is carefree vagabond, not penniless beggar. For best results:

• Use one or two statement pieces or accessories as signature touches such as a brilliantly colored paisley shawl paired with a plain peasant outfit, brown leather booties and hobo bag. Add some beaded jewelry in colors that complement the shawl and put on a headband or turban to finish the outfit.
• Take some risks. Part of the fun of a carefree fashion like the boho style is the freedom to express your inner artist and mix and match garments and accessories to suit your personal taste. For example, mix unexpected colors like reds and oranges with the traditional boho palette of earth tone colors.
• Most garments in a boho wardrobe should be multifunctional. For instance, a scarf may be used as a head covering, a belt, a shawl or even jewelry, tops as layering tools, and dresses as beach coverups.

No matter what accessories or styles you choose, enjoy yourself and have fun creating a new wardrobe look. After all, being carefree and enjoying life are key components of a bohemian lifestyle.